The Swedish hybrid market is dominated by 24 models of ethanol-petrol hybrids from 11 manufacturers followed by two makes of electric-petrol hybrids. Volvo, Saab, Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota are top sellers with Peugeot and Renault as runner-ups.

- The pending EU legislation for reducing CO2 emissions and reaching a 10 per cent level of renewable energy for the transportation sector by 2020 requires action now as new cars have a life expectancy of 15 years, says Carstedt. Ethanol hybrids have an important role to play and are in the short and medium term offering the most cost-effective technology for rapid CO2 reduction and lower dependency on fossil fuels..

The ethanol hybrids in Sweden are fuelled by E85 – 85 per cent verified sustainable ethanol from Brazilian sugarcane and 15 per cent 95 octane petrol. E85 is available from 1 300 of all filling stations (35 per cent) throughout the country – a number rapidly growing.

It took ethanol hybrids four years to go from zero to 25 per cent of the Swedish new car market. Year on year sales increased 110 per cent in September. A noticeable shift by consumers into vehicles less dependent on fossil fuel and emitting less fossil carbon dioxide.

Carstedt claims that “If Sweden could do this all other EU countries can do it!”